physical
Etymology

Borrowed from la-lat physicālis, from Latin physica, from Ancient Greek φυσική, feminine singular of φυσικός ("natural; physical"), from φύσις ("origin, birth; nature, quality; form, shape; type, kind"), from φῠ́ω ("grow"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-.

Pronunciation
  • (British, America) IPA: /ˈfɪzɪkəl/
Adjective

physical

  1. Of medicine.
    1. (obsolete) Pertaining to the field of medicine; medical. [15th–19th c.]
    2. (obsolete) That practises medicine; pertaining to doctors, physicianly. [18th c.]
      • 1788, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary: A Fiction:
        Her father was thrown from his horse, when his blood was in a very inflammatory state, and the bruises were very dangerous; his recovery was not expected by the physical tribe.
    3. (obsolete) Medicinal; good for the health, curative, therapeutic. [16th–19th c.]
      • 1579, Thomas North, translating Pliny, Parallel Lives:
        Phisicall [translating φαρμακώδεις (pharmakṓdeis)] herbes, as Helleborum, Lingewort, or Beares foote.
      • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:
        Is Brutus sick? and is it physical / To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours / Of the dank morning?
  2. Of matter and nature.
    1. Pertaining to the world as understood through the senses rather than the mind; tangible, concrete; real. Having to do with the material world. [from 16th c.]
      • 1848, John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], →OCLC ↗:
        Labour, then, in the physical world, is […] employed in putting objects in motion.
      It's not so much a physical place as a state of mind.
    2. In accordance with the laws of nature; now specifically, pertaining to physics. [from 16th c.]
      The substance has a number of interesting physical properties.
    3. Denoting a map showing natural features of the landscape (compare political). [from 18th c.]
  3. Of the human body.
    1. Having to do with the body as opposed to the mind; corporeal, bodily. [from 18th c.]
      Are you feeling any physical effects?
      • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 1, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC ↗:
        A society sunk in ignorance, and ruled by mere physical force.
    2. Sexual, carnal. [from 18th c.]
    3. Involving bodily force or contact; vigorous, aggressive. [from 20th c.]
      This team plays a very physical game, so watch out.
Antonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations Noun

physical (plural physicals)

  1. Physical examination.
    Synonyms: checkup, check-up
    How long has it been since your last physical?
  2. (parapsychology) A physical manifestation of psychic origin, as through ectoplasmic solidification.
    • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
      "I don't mind readings and clairvoyance, but the physicals do try you."
Translations


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